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WaywardSon View Drop Down
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Points: 2537 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Kansas- After Monolith
    Posted: May 07 2006 at 19:47

I was listening to some Kansas today, Two for the show and Point of Know Return. These were albums when Kerry Livgren was on his spiritual search. I find most of the pre- Monolith albums so incredible. It seems to me he lost something in his song writing once he found what he was looking for when he became a Christian.

Somewhere to Elsewhere had some classics like Icarus 2 and Distant Vision, but just isnīt on the same level as the 70īs output.
I wonder what would happen to his song writing if he started to have doubts about Christianity? Just a thought...
 
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Points: 127 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 07 2006 at 21:48
His work with Proto-Kaw is pretty darn good, if you haven't heard it.  I think Kerry's completely regained his form.
And it might as well be raining, 'cause the sunlight hurts his eyes,
And his ears will never hear the children's cries
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Points: 4659 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 07 2006 at 22:15
Originally posted by RycheMan RycheMan wrote:

I was listening to some Kansas today, Two for the show and Point of Know Return. These were albums when Kerry Livgren was on his spiritual search. I find most of the pre- Monolith albums so incredible. It seems to me he lost something in his song writing once he found what he was looking for when he became a Christian.

Somewhere to Elsewhere had some classics like Icarus 2 and Distant Vision, but just isnīt on the same level as the 70īs output.
I wonder what would happen to his song writing if he started to have doubts about Christianity? Just a thought...
 
 
IMHO Kerry's creative output in the mid-70's was a much due to his circumstances and his youth as it was his spritual journey.  Between 1974 and 1978 the band realized all of their wildest dreams, and more.  In just four short years they went from being a regional curiosity to a national powerhouse.  They released five studio albums and a double-live one (and three of these went multi-platinum), had at least three national television appearances, and released a half-dozen top-selling singles.  During that time they were an extremely tight-knit band that lived, worked, ate, slept, and suffered together.  By 1979 they were feeling the pressures and weariness of that life, and were also enjoying the fruits of their labors with financial and artistic recognition.  They were also developing interests apart from each other, including families and other artistic ventures.  They took up homes well apart from each other in different states, and moved from touring in a school bus to huge headlining tours in chartered traveling vans and airplanes.  I think that the band would have fractured regardless of how Livgren's searching turned out, and I doubt that he could ever regain that type of artistic plateau again no matter what happened to him personally.  Kerry Livgren is basically a hobby farmer today with a sideline career as a church elder and a part-time touring musician.  He's settled in his ways and approaching his twilight years.  He's been away from Kansas for nearly twenty-four years - I think it's safe to say those days are long gone.
"Peace is the only battle worth waging."

Albert Camus
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Points: 14980 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 01:16
Originally posted by RycheMan RycheMan wrote:

It seems to me he lost something in his song writing once he found what he was looking for when he became a Christian.
 
If I'd never heard albums like Seeds Of Change  and Art Of The State  I *might* be inclined to believe you just a little bit.
 
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Points: 808 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 02:29
Kansas have had some troubles since Monolith ( thats not all Kerry`s fault) I am under the belief that if finding Jesus makes Kerry happy I am happy for him and I wouldn`t want to disrupt his spiritual path just to gain better song writing again (besides it may not be the answer, and I personaly believe his song writing these days is strong)  I feel lucky being a Kansas fan,I  have so much to reflect on, Kerry gave me so many aspirations back when Kansas were in their prime (and currently with Proto Kaw).   Proto Kaw are doing great and Kerry is writing well again , very well indeed !!!  Wink

Edited by Masque - May 08 2006 at 20:21
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Points: 2537 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 15:54

Yes, he seems to be really writing well again with Protokaw. I think when Audiovisions came out he was over excited about his new found faith and maybe needed time to settle down a bit.

In Protokaw his message isnīt pushed in your face like on Audiovisions(although it had the classic-No One Together on that album)

I still havenīt heard Seeds of Change so I canīt really comment on that one, but I will check it out.
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Points: 388 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 16:31

I'm not sure why anyone would worry about Livgren's lyric writing, whether with or without Christian topics.  Personally, I think it is a plus whenever he does write with a "higher cause" in mind.

The music though, seems to be more the important issue.  There is quite a variety between Vinyl Confessions, Seeds of Change (solo), One of Several Possible Musiks (solo), and Somewhere to Elsewhere.
 
Musically, I think Kerry's music was better pre-Vinyl Confessions, but better lyrically starting with that album.
 
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Points: 2537 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 16:51
In his book "Seeds of change" Livgren says "The Pinnacle" and "The Wall" are the best songs he has composed.
I really must investigate his solo stuff though.
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Points: 106 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 17:36
I have never picked up on a heavy-handed Christian message on Audiovisions.  It is an underrated album and one of my favorites.  I will have to go back and listen again.
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Points: 4338 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 17:41
Try his website WWW.NumaVox.com
He has 7 full songs you can check out.
Kerry has had a pretty good selection of solo material and work with other bands since leaving Kansas in 1983:
 
With AD
Timeline (The Best)
Art of the State (The Next Best)
Reconstructions (Has its Moments)
Prime Mover (Same as Above)
Solo
One of Several Types of Muziks (All solo albums have wide ranges of styles and Quality)
When Things Get Electric
Oddesy into a Minds Eye Soundtrack
Collectors Sediton Vol 1
The Best of Kerry Livgren
With Kansas
Wheels (Box Set 1994)
Cold Grey Morning (Freaks of Nature)
Somewhere to Elsewhere
With Proto-Kaw
Early Recordings
Before Became After
The Wait of Glory
 


 


"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?"
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Points: 14980 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2006 at 00:20
One of Several Possible Musiks  is one I need to listen to again, a nice little word-free creation. I first got that upon its initial release (er, not on CD, either) and after many years I picked up the CD issue with the bonus track for cheap. That's a really cool album for the time, as is Steve Howe's Turbulence (which, similarly, I have recently revisited...I forgot how cool it is!).
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Points: 610 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 12 2006 at 14:37
To be honest, with "Monolith" it was OVER ( for me ), neither do I like the albums with Kerry afterwards or those with Steve Morse, but hey, the ones up to then were great, especially "Leftoverture" and "Point of know return"
...I'm a musician/singer/songwriter, visit me on www.reverbnation.com/rupertlenz and there you can choose from 125 recordings you can listen to ( for free ) if you're not limited to prog-rock !
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Points: 14980 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 12 2006 at 22:17
Ouch!
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Points: 610 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 18 2006 at 12:34

Ouch ???

See, I don't think of "Power" and "In the spirit of Things" as bad Albums, nor are "Audio Visions" and "Drastic Measures", but whatever it was that made Kansas such a special band, it was gone... or don't you think that "Leftoverture" and "Point of know return" are the biggest milestones in their catalogue ???
...I'm a musician/singer/songwriter, visit me on www.reverbnation.com/rupertlenz and there you can choose from 125 recordings you can listen to ( for free ) if you're not limited to prog-rock !
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Points: 202 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 18 2006 at 12:44
the only song that stands out for me from later Kansas is Rainmaker....and ive never been able to decide why, i just like the song
If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.
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Points: 48 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 18 2006 at 14:04
A lot of people thought that Kansas was over way before Monolith...I'll admit that the only Kansas stuff I've ever heard was their first album, Songs for America and Monolith...oh ya and that song Carry On My Wayward Son...hahaha...I can't give an opinion for this one but look at all that I typed anyway! horrah for me!
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Points: 407 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 18 2006 at 14:45
In my opinion, "Monolith" has undeservedly gotten a bad rap over the years.  The record, although not as strong as some previous releases by Kansas, is still pretty good.  The band continued to make good (not great) music.  "Audio Visions" was a descent record, and the first one they recorded with John Elefante was respectable.  After THAT was when the band lost its appeal.....and judging by their record sales, not to just me but to a lot of their fans.
 
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Points: 2537 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 18 2006 at 21:19
Freaks of Nature was a pretty strong album when David Ragsdale joined them.
 
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